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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27109966">Unforgettable Tale</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGoldenRose/pseuds/TheGoldenRose'>TheGoldenRose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action, Adventure, Dorks in Love, Dragons, Eventual Romance, Evil, F/M, Fantasy, Female Protagonist, Fluff, Magic, Rebellion, Secrets, Strong Female Characters, Swordfighting, because why not, little wooden elephants</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 16:42:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,408</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27109966</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGoldenRose/pseuds/TheGoldenRose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Megan lives her life by one rule: avoid attention at all costs. Between a tyrannical aunt, running away from home, living on the streets, and possessing illegal magic, she feels she has had enough adventure for a lifetime. Her highest aspiration is to get enough food to survive to the next day. She wants nothing to do with powerplays or politics, least of the rebellion against the emperor. </p><p>But as she is dragged into the middle of a magical uprising, power struggles, and political intrigue, she discovers that she is quite possibly the center of it all. Mix in some princesses, dragons, fae creatures, forgotten secrets, a brewing war, and an evil emperor, and it's bound to be unforgettable.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Farm Girl</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Please, please, please! I wanna see!"</p><p>Megan grinned at her seven-year-old cousin, Tray, who was sitting across from her in the dusty barn. His eyes were wide and expectant, and he clapped in excitement.</p><p>"Okay," Megan laughed, "but we have to be quiet!"</p><p>The little boy nodded fervently, his smile revealing his missing front tooth.</p><p>Megan tucked a strand of her blond hair behind her ear and focused. The late afternoon sun slipped through the slats of the barn wall, lighting up the dust motes floating lazily around them. She searched inside herself until she could feel the swirling mass of magic. The feeling was exhilarating. Something about using her magic made her feel so alive.</p><p>Concentrating, she pulled a little bit of magic out, letting in dance on her hand. Tray gasped as golden sparkles glittered and twirled above her palm. He reached out to touch it, and giggled when the sparkles made a fizzy sensation where it touched his hand.</p><p>"Watch this!" Megan said.</p><p>With a twist, her magic formed into a vague circle, with tiny arms sticking out in every direction. One of the arms was longer than the others and pointed down, almost like a stem.</p><p>"What is it?" Tray asked, his wonder and confusion equally apparent as he wrinkled his nose.</p><p>Megan laughed. "It's a flower!"</p><p>"Oh," he said, "Can you make something else?"</p><p>Megan thought for a moment. Twisting her magic again, she stretched it into a circular band, then added spikes pointing up.</p><p>"It's a crown!" he gasped.</p><p>Megan laughed again, then lifted the glittery golden crown up and onto her cousin's head. "My Lord," she said, in her best aristocratic accent. She gave a playful bow, and Tray giggled.</p><p>"Make you one, too!"</p><p>"Okay!"</p><p>With a flourish of her hands, another crown appeared around her own head. Tray returned her bow, and said, "My Lady."</p><p>They exchanged pleasantries in silly, simpering accents. Megan asked Tray if he would like a spot of tea, and he nodded. Concentrating, Megan formed her magic into the shape of a tea cup. A bead of sweat formed on her forehead from the strain of holding all three objects. With a smile, she handed Tray his tea cup and set to work on making one for herself. </p><p>As she pulled out the magic for the second tea cup though, she could feel her hold on it slipping. The golden glitter started sparking the more she tried to rein it in. With a crackling zap, it flew out of her grasp entirely and sailed through the glass pane of the window, shattering it.</p><p>There was a noise outside the barn and a shadow appeared in the doorway. A jolt of panic ran through Megan, and fear stiffened her spine.</p><p>A tall, wiry woman with ash blonde hair and sharp features stood watching them. Anger was etched into every line of her body.</p><p>Tray followed Megan's line of sight. When he saw the woman, his eyes went wide with fear. Megan quickly dissolved the rest of her magic, knowing it was already too late.</p><p>"Tray," the woman hissed, "Go to your room. I will speak to you later."</p><p>Without another word, Tray leaped up and raced out of the barn. The woman's eyes never left Megan's.</p><p>Megan swallowed. Her mouth felt like it was made of cotton.</p><p>"Aunt Irma, I . . ."</p><p>"Enough!" Aunt Irma snapped. "I should have known you had witchcraft. Ever since my foolish sister ran off and dumped me with you, I knew you were trouble!"</p><p>Megan flinched back against the words.</p><p>"I have done nothing but care for you; I fed you, I put a roof over your head. And this is how you repay me. . . By bringing evil to our home!"</p><p>"It's not. . ."</p><p>"Insolent child! Do you have any idea what they do to children with magic in the city? They put them to death. Magic is a horrid, evil thing that can only be used by those with the blackest hearts! It is the devil's work."</p><p>Megan gulped.</p><p>They would put her to death for her magic. Of course she had known that. On their rare trips to the city, she had seen the executions that were set up in the middle of the square. The Emperor made a point of showing exactly how criminals were punished. Stealing, cheating, murder, arson, treason, and possessing magic were all quick ways to an untimely death.</p><p>But she hadn't been careful. Out on the farm, far away from other people, she had tricked herself into forgetting how bad magic really was. It was hard to see what could be so bad about something so beautiful, something that felt so right.</p><p>Megan felt tears welling in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry, Aunt Irma, I promise it won't happen again." Please don't send me away. Don't let them kill me.</p><p>Her aunt eyed her with distaste. "You're a wicked child. You have put us all in danger. You leave me with no choice."</p><p>Aunt Irma grabbed Megan's wrist and roughly hauled her to her feet. Her nails dug sharply into her skin as Megan struggled. "No!" Megan howled.</p><p>Her aunt drug her all the way out the barn, across the field, and into the little farmhouse where they lived. Tray's face peeked out the window, but quickly ducked back out of sight when he saw them. Aunt Irma hauled her through the door and into the house. She shoved her into the smallest room in the house; the closet where they stored supplies. Megan landed on the floor, sobbing, and Aunt Irma slammed the door shut.</p><p>Megan heard the lock click, and jumped to her feet, pounding on the door. "Let me out! Don't leave me in here!" Her sobs bordered on hysteria as the solid wood door refused to budge.</p><p>After nearly an hour of screaming, her voice was all but gone. Her knuckles were bruised and sore from pounding on the door. She crumpled to the floor, her tear-stained cheek pressed against the door. "Please," she whispered.</p><p>Several more hours passed, and by the painful grumblings of her stomach, she could tell it was long past supper-time. Inside the closet was completely dark, but a little light filtered through the crack under the door. She watched as the last of the sunlight disappeared and candle light replaced it. Eventually even the candles were snuffed out. Everything was dark and quiet.</p><p>Megan waited several more hours, just to make sure Aunt Irma was really asleep.</p><p>She had to get out of here. Aunt Irma would probably go to the town tomorrow and get the constable, and he would take her away. Picturing the lean, mustached man with the deep-set eyes made her shiver.</p><p>Summoning her resolve, Megan reached inside herself and found her magic. She pulled out a small amount and sighed in relief when she saw the glittery silver light. It cast a dim luminescence on the inside of the closet, illuminating her surroundings. Concentrating, Megan began to mold the glowing magic into the shape of a key.</p><p>Once she was done she eyed it critically. It was sort of lumpy, and probably a little skinnier than the real key. She made some adjustments, then nodded in satisfaction. She jammed the key into the keyhole, jiggling it slightly to make it work. The door didn't budge.</p><p>"Stupid, worthless piece of . . . why won't you . . . come on!" she grumbled under her breath. She kept making small adjustments to the glittery key, hoping something would work.</p><p>Finally after about fifteen minutes, the lock clicked and the key turned smoothly in place. Megan stared at it for a moment in shock, then listened to make sure the noise hadn't woken anyone up.</p><p>The house slept on quietly, and Megan turned the knob with bated breath. Thankfully, the door hinges decided not to squeak. Megan exhaled in relief and silently slipped out of the closet. She immediately set to work, gathering supplies quickly and quietly.</p><p>She grabbed a large cheesecloth and used it to wrap up several apples, a loaf of bread, and a chunk of goat cheese. Part of her felt bad about stealing, but it was a several day walk to any cities that were big enough for her to blend in. Then she remembered how her aunt was going to send her away, and her guilt was gone.</p><p>Finally she had everything packed: a canteen of water, the bundle of food, a thin blanket she could use as a bedroll, and a small pouch of coins that her aunt kept hidden inside an empty flower vase in case of emergencies. Her plan was to make it to a big city, somewhere far enough away that no one would recognize her. She would be turning twelve years old in a few months; maybe she could get someone to hire her on as an apprentice or something. Admittedly, her plan was pretty vague, but she would have several days of traveling to figure it out. The feeling of freedom was so strong, she could almost taste. It filled her up and gave her a light, bubbly feeling. I'm strong. I can do this.</p><p>She glanced around the small living space one last time. As cruel as her aunt could be, this was still the only home she had ever known. She contemplated leaving a note for Tray and his younger siblings, but decided against it. Turning to the door, she was about to leave when a thought struck her.</p><p>It was crazy. And it would probably get her caught.</p><p>But the more she thought about it, the more her resolve hardened. Megan knew very little about her parents. They had left her with her aunt when she was four years old so they could "run off and get themselves killed in a fool's war." At least according to Aunt Irma.</p><p>Megan remembered the first time she had asked her aunt to tell her about her parents. She had been close to the age Tray was now.</p><p>"They were both fools," her aunt had said. They had been sitting down to breakfast, her aunt rubbing her pregnant stomach. Baby Tray was gurgling happily nearby.</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"The Emperor has the strongest force in the world. They joined a losing cause. They knew it, but they were too stubborn and sentimental."</p><p>"What's sen-ten-i-mal?"</p><p>Her aunt sighed. "It means that they believed in a silly idea more than they cared about their family, or you, or even their own lives."</p><p>"Oh," Megan said. She quietly picked at her eggs and said nothing.</p><p>She hadn't asked about her parents again.</p><p>But late at night, or when she was out doing her chores, Megan liked to imagine that her parents had loved her. She refused to believe that they had abandoned her, like her aunt said. They must have left her there to protect her. She imagined them crying as they rode away, promising to come get her again after the war was over.</p><p>She didn't have anything of theirs. . . but Aunt Irma did. She had only shown the trinket to Megan once; a small silver medallion on a thin chain. Her father had used the necklace to propose to her mother. It was a symbol of their love for each other -- and she hoped -- their love for her. The more Megan thought about it, the more she decided she could not leave without it.</p><p>Biting her lip, Megan tiptoed down the hall to the first bedroom door. Aunt Irma's room. She gently twisted the handle and eased the door open. Peeking through the crack, she could just make out the sleeping form of her aunt on the bed. She was snoring softly.</p><p>Megan eased the door open a bit further, her scalp prickling with fear. If she was caught, it was over. Her chance for freedom would be nothing but a distance memory. But she couldn't leave the necklace behind.</p><p>As she pushed the door open the last few inches, the hinges let out a long, low squeal. Megan froze, not daring to breathe. Her heart felt like it might beat out of her chest.</p><p>Aunt Irma slept soundly.</p><p>Exhaling in relief, Megan slipped into the room. She tiptoed across the floor, making for the short nightstand beside the bed. Aunt Irma was sleeping on her side, facing away from her, and Megan thanked her good fortune.</p><p>Slowly she eased the bottom drawer of the nightstand open. It was cluttered with loose papers, herbal pouches, and a chunk of beeswax for soothing dry hands. Megan ruffled through the papers, trying to be as silent as possible. She was beginning to worry Aunt Irma had moved it somewhere else, when she saw a small box at the back of the drawer.</p><p>Megan carefully pulled it out and opened it. Inside the box sat the beautiful little necklace. The medallion was a polished silver disk, about the size of a small coin. It was etched with strange, elegant characters that she couldn't read. She stared at the little necklace in wonder. It glinted softly in the moonlight that came through the window, and she felt a surge of hope inside her.</p><p>She picked it up reverently and clasped it around her neck. She tucked the medallion inside the front of her shirt and smiled. Now she was ready to go.</p><p>Suddenly her aunt stirred in the bed beside her. Megan froze, her eyes going wide with fear. Aunt Irma muttered and tossed in her sleep, then went back to snoring. Megan stayed frozen for several more seconds before she dared to move.</p><p>As quickly as she dared, she snuck back across the room and out the door. In the kitchen, she picked up her supplies and made for the front door. This time there was no hesitation.</p><p>Once she deemed she was far enough away from the house, Megan bounded across the fields. The night was warm and the moon was bright. And she was free!</p><p>She would put as much distance between herself and her aunt before the sun came up. Then she would find a good hiding place and sleep during the day. Hopefully travelling at night would throw off anyone that would try and follow her. Megan didn't know whether or not Aunt Irma would send people after her, but it was better safe than sorry.</p><p>Once she got to the city, she would start a new life for herself. She would go somewhere far enough away that no one would recognize her.</p><p>And she would never, never use her magic again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Of Fruit Merchants and Silver</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been over four years since Megan had run away from Aunt Irma's farm.</p><p>She had learned a lot in that time. Experience is a cruel teacher. She had wandered from place to place for several weeks before settling down in the Trist, the capital city of the kingdom of Decorus. It turns out life is not kind to a penniless runaway orphan. Her food had run out after the first week, and all the money she had brought with her was spent on things for her to eat. She had been naive and unlearned in the ways of bartering, and because of that spent a lot more on food than what it was worth.</p><p>She had tried to get a job, but she had no money and no connections. She was too small for hard labor, and too uneducated for anything scholarly. Alone, hungry, and desperate, she had turned to begging.</p><p>For several months, she barely scraped by. She might have starved to death if it had not been for the generosity of one of the fruit merchants -- a man named Ratiki.</p><p>Ratiki had noticed her when she first arrived in the marketplace of Trist; As much as she obviously tried to blend into the background, she stuck out like a sore thumb. There were countless dirty street children running around, and they were a darned nuisance. You couldn't turn your back on them for two seconds without them stealing the shoes off your feet. But the scrawny blonde girl wasn't like that. She had asked around for work, and when there was none to be found, she had eventually succumbed to sitting at a street corner, holding out a dented tin cup and relying on the charity of others.</p><p>The old fruit merchant imagined her to be an exceptionally moral person -- in reality though, Megan was simply terrified at the thought of stealing. Under the rule of the Empire, thieves were executed. Stealing from Aunt Irma had been different, since she was running away anyway. And in her mind, the necklace had rightfully been hers anyway. But here, if she got caught stealing she would be executed on the spot. Or so she thought.</p><p>Decorus was one of the few sovereign kingdoms that was not under the thumb of the Empire. Laws, while strict, were not as harsh, and minor infractions were seldom met with death. Had she known this, Megan might have become just as bad as all the other starving children in Decorus. Yet her ignorance turned out to be her saving grace.</p><p>Ratiki had watched Megan from a distance for several weeks. Other than her strange behavior, there was nothing really remarkable about her. She was scrawny and tall, at least for her age. Her long blond hair more closely resembled an unkept pile of hay than spun gold, and her eyes were an ordinary brown.</p><p>She refused to steal, and she mostly kept to herself. She did have some spirit, though, Ratiki noticed, when one day a young teen boy had tried to steal her begged-for copper piece. Before his hand had even closed around the coin, she socked him in the nose. As he ran away, eyes streaming, she hollered insults after him. Ratiki had laughed so hard that he didn't even notice when another young street thief swiped one of his apples.</p><p>One hot summer day, he noticed her slumped against one of the shop walls in the marketplace. She held her dented little tin cup limply in her hand. The old fruit merchant saw her drooping head, hollow cheeks, and skinny arms with the bones practically popping out, and he felt a swell of pity. That poor child, that didn't even have the good sense to steal rather than starve.</p><p>Plucking up a nectarine from his stand, he walked over to her. He tapped her shoulder, and she looked up. "You want fruit?" Ratiki asked, holding out the nectarine to her. Megan reached for the golden fruit like she was reaching for an angel. Ratiki yanked the fruit back at the last second.</p><p>"You want fruit, you must work," he said. Ratiki may have had a compassionate heart, but he also had the shrewd mind of a businessman. Megan nodded, staring at him intently.</p><p>"Take this to the butcher," Ratiki said, holding out a slip of parchment, "and I give you fruit."</p><p>Megan sprang up quickly. She took the parchment and darted across the marketplace, disappearing from view within seconds. Ratiki chuckled to himself and walked back to his fruit stand. After only two minutes, Megan sprinted back into view, carrying a small paper-wrapped package. She handed it to him, then stared expectantly.</p><p>Ratiki looked critically at the bag for a few seconds, then broke into a large grin. "Good work. I give you fruit."</p><p>He handed her the nectarine, and her face transformed into a beaming smile that lit up her eyes. She smiled at him, then at the fruit, then ran off back to her spot by the shop wall. Ratiki watched with pleasure as she devoured the juicy fruit.</p><p>That was the first of many small business arrangements that they had. Mostly it involved Megan running errands for Ratiki, and him paying her in fruit from his stand. She would pick up his laundered robes, haul sacks of potatoes, pick up meat from the butcher's, stack crates, deliver fruit to wealthy customers, and run notes to other merchants; in turn he would give her apples, oranges, tangerines, cherries, mangos, peaches, pears, and papayas. They developed a sort of camaraderie, perhaps even a friendship.</p><p>But all good things come to an end.</p><p>The year that Megan turned fourteen, Ratiki received word that his father had fallen ill, and he needed to return to his home country at once. He bid her farewell, and even gave her a basket of fruit as a parting gift. She had not seen him since.</p><p>Even with Ratiki gone, Megan learned and grew into her new life. She learned that the baker in the northern region of the city tossed out baked goods that had not sold after a week, and she did errands for him in exchange for the first pick of the trash bins. Likewise, she ran love notes for the tanner's daughter in exchange for her old clothes and shoes.</p><p>Perhaps the best thing she had acquired so far was a sword. It was by sheer luck, as she happened to be near the swordsmith's shop when someone brought in a broken short sword and asked for it to be repaired. The blade had rusted through and broken off, down near the hilt. The swordsmith insisted that the sword was cheaply made and good for nothing but the trash. Megan, sensing an opportunity, had asked the man if she might have the broken blade. The swordsmith had scoffed at her and said it was good for absolutely nothing, but the owner of the sword had agreed, most likely out of a desire to get rid of rusty thing than out of any sense of charity.</p><p>The hilt had been pretty much unrecoverable, though she had been able to sell it to a scrap metal collector for a few coins. She found a scrap of leather hide and wrapped it around the bottom of the blade as a sort of makeshift hilt. Truth be told, she didn't really need a sword, but it was good for peace of mind. It also worked as a great deterrent to any would-be thieves or boys that tried to get too handsy.</p><p>All in all, it wasn't a bad life.</p><p> </p><p>Megan woke up and stretched. She looked around the tent that she now called home. She was half-tangled in a nest of old blankets and scraps. Sunlight filtered its way through the grates above her into the sewer where she slept.</p><p>She was now sixteen, and she had long since learned to take care of herself. Sure, food was a little hard to come by, and money was scant, but she was alive and fighting. She had few possessions and almost nothing of value. The one thing she owned that might have had worth was the one thing that she would never dream of selling: the small silver necklace that had once belonged to her mother. It was her only tie to her parents, a reminder that someone, somewhere had cared about her. And that was more precious to her than any coins she could have sold it for.</p><p>The sun was rising over the kingdom of Decorus. Megan made her way out of the sewer and towards the marketplace. The sewer wasn't an ideal living space, but since part of the tunnel had collapsed, the section where she lived was hardly ever used for actual sewage. Another bonus was that almost no one ever bothered to go down into the sewers anyway.</p><p>Following her personal, well-worn path from her tent to the surface, Megan stepped over rubble and debris. Part of the street had caved in, making a convenient opening to the upper world. Nearby Megan could hear merchants bustling about, preparing for the day. Chickens clucking, children laughing, and people shouting, were all sounds of the start of a new day.</p><p>First she stopped at the communal well and drew up a bucket of water. She dipped her tin cup in and drank deeply. The water was still cold from the night air. She then splashed some of the water on her face, gasping as the cold water hit her.</p><p>Next she jogged towards the butcher's shop. Ratiki and the butcher, Yoli, had been good friends, and ever since Ratiki had left, Yoli made sure that he always had some small task or errand for Megan. Sure enough, she got there and Yoli had three packages of meat, wrapped in white paper, sitting on the counter and ready to be delivered. They were all usual customers, and Megan had the three packages dropped off within half an hour. By the time she got back to the butcher's shop, Yoli had a strip of jerked venison ready for her. She took it gratefully and headed for the marketplace.</p><p>Daylight had shone through the canopies and bits of strung glass in the main marketplace, scattering bits of colored light and welcoming the new day. When Megan got to the marketplace, she sat off to the side of one of the shops and pulled out her breakfast; the jerked venison and the last of some stale old bread she had gotten three days ago. She sighed. What I wouldn't give for just one fresh mango, she thought to herself as she nibbled on the bread.</p><p>As the sun rose higher, more people filed into the square. Megan held out her tin cup, begging for coins from passersby. By early afternoon, she had gotten two copper coins, hardly enough to buy another loaf of bread.</p><p>She watched as a group of girls in milkmaid uniforms entered the market, laughing and chattering amongst themselves. They looked hardly older than she was. Megan sat, wondering what her life might have been like if her parents were still alive. She might have been happy, never begging for food, never longing for a family or home she didn't have. She hoped she could find that someday.</p><p>She exhaled sharply, pushing the thought from her mind. Hoping alone wouldn't help anything. If only she could get a job. A real job with wages, not just running errands for charitable merchants. But who would hire a beggar girl? If only she were stronger and not quite so skinny, she might have been able to do manual labor. If only she could read! A proper education would have opened so many doors to her. Megan sighed.</p><p>If only, if only... she thought.</p><p>"Miss? Miss? Excuse me, miss?"</p><p>A voice called her back from her world of sun-warmed sleep.</p><p>Megan looked up. She hadn't even realized that she had drifted off. It took her eyes a<br/>moment to adjust the sun. A kindly looking woman gazed down at her. Her dark brown hair was streaked with gray, but her eyes were dancing and young and sincere.</p><p>"You need this more than I do," she said, pressing a small bag into her hands. The woman smiled and walked off, leaving no time for Megan to thank her. Once she had gone, Megan peered into the bag, awestruck.</p><p>Silver coins. All silver coins.</p><p>Megan's heart leapt into her throat and she suddenly felt clammy. She looked around quickly to see if anyone else was around that might have seen the exchange. A gift like that would easily make her the target of an attack. She had seen one boy nearly kicked to death over two bronze coins. If the other street thieves found out about this, she was as good as dead. But no one paid her any mind.</p><p>The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. Megan's thoughts still spun around the events of the day. Why had the woman been so generous? And why to her? There was no shortage of beggars and orphans, seeing the war had left so many desolate and homeless. Over the years, the number of free kingdoms had dwindled until Decorus was the last one left. Practically every refuge or enemy of the Empire had flocked to Decorus to try and escape the Emperor's grasp. There were countless beggars just like her.</p><p>What had separated her out?</p><p>Megan stared at the little cloth bag. It sat innocently on her palm. She ran her thumb over the decorative design that was stitched in the velvet cloth: a small sparrow with archaic looking symbols on either side. For the hundredth time that day, she peeked open the bag and counted them. Eleven silver pieces. It was more money than she had ever seen at once in her life. It was enough to buy herself a new life.</p><p>As the initial panic subsided, she had begun to think of what she could actually do with that type of money. She could get a proper wardrobe. She could enroll in a school, perhaps even get an apprenticeship. Idly she wondered if Yoli would take her on as an apprentice if she learned to read and write. She would never go hungry again; she would never have to sleep in a sewer. The thought made her almost giddy. I could have a real bed again, she daydreamed, I could have dresses that fit.</p><p>With a sigh, she looked around and saw that the sun was starting to set. She hauled herself to her feet.</p><p>There were no new lives to be bought tonight. It would have to wait until morning. The walk back to her tent took about ten minutes, and by then red evening light streaked across the streets. Megan descended into the sewer, walking by the light of the grates on the ceiling.</p><p>Megan practically collapsed once she got to her tent. She glanced once more at the little bag clutched in her hand like it was the most precious thing in the world, then she drifted off to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>After what seemed like only a few seconds, a noise outside shook her awake. She stopped, listening intently. It was now the middle of the night. All the sounds of the evening had dissolved into silence. What had disturbed her? She lay silent, as if still asleep, listening. Eventually she heard a slight rustling sound outside. Footsteps were approaching her tent. As noiselessly as possible she stood and grabbed her rusty short sword. She slowly crept out of her tent. About ten yards away, she saw a hooded figure creeping down the tunnel towards her.</p><p>Fear gripped Megan like a vice, and she felt a sudden chill. What was going on? Was this the attack she had been dreading? If so, the hooded figure hadn't seemed to notice her yet. With mounting dread, she realized that the figure was not some scrawny kid, but a well built man.</p><p>The man continued to creep closer, and Megan debated striking at him from out of the shadows. But something about that just seemed. . . wrong. She wasn't exactly one to abide by the rules of sportsmanship -- in her opinion, the best fight was one where you hit first and play dirty -- but she didn't really want to kill anyone. She just wanted this hooded guy to go away.</p><p>When the man was nearly parallel with her, she said, in the deepest voice she could, "I'll give you one chance, leave now and don't come back."</p><p>The man's head whipped towards her, but he didn't jump like she had expected him to. "Listen, stranger," he said, "I'm in a very big hurry, and I don't have time to answer any riddles. Let me pass."</p><p>His voice was firm and didn't leave any room for argument. A bit taken back by his bluntness, Megan stood stunned for a moment. "Look, mister, I don't know who you are, but you shouldn't be here. Whatever your "quest" is, you can take it somewhere else," she said in her normal voice.</p><p>"I don't have time for this," The man said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.</p><p>"I don't have time for sneaking thieves," Megan said.</p><p>"I don't have time for little beggar girls who stand in my way!"</p><p>Megan held up her sword in what she hoped was an intimidating position. Almost instantaneously his sword was out, too.</p><p>"You don't want to cross blades with me," he warned.</p><p>"I'll take my chances," Megan said.</p><p>Megan lunged forward, hoping to catch him off guard, but he deflected her thrust with almost contemptuous ease.</p><p>"Don't say I didn't warn you," the man said.</p><p>Megan glared at him, then launched into another attack. Then another. She only grew more frustrated as none of her attempts seemed to even faze him. It was like trying to fight a brick wall! No matter what she did, his sword was always right there. The noise of clinking steel rang through the dark tunnel. Megan fought hard, but slowly she realized with dread that he was very good -- much better than her. The hooded man gradually transitioned from defense to offense. Eventually she was no longer attacking but simply trying to block his jabs, thrusts, and slashes as her muscles began to burn with exertion. He was going to win!</p><p>No!</p><p>Suddenly she fought back with double force and determination. Her swings grew wild and reckless and her breathing became labored. One of her strokes went wide, leaving her exposed for just a second. But that second was all that the hooded man needed.</p><p>His blade caught her cheek, just under her right eye and extending all the way down to her chin. The cut wasn't deep, but it stung badly, and she let her guard down. With a fluid motion, he spun his sword around and hit her head with the hilt.</p><p>Then her world turned black.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Princesses and Pirates</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moon shone brightly over the capital city of Decorus. Far above the the dark sewers, a young woman stooped in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment. Moving fast and low, she paused for a moment, then dashed across an alley. A dog started barking somewhere off to the left, and the young women took off in the opposite direction. She could not afford to be given away -- not now, not here.</p><p>Footsteps could be heard on the cobbled streets not far off. The woman froze. There were many of them, from the sound of it. Torch lights flickered in the dark, throwing dramatic shadows across the close walls and grimy streets. Farther away, men started shouting. The footsteps shuffled away, and the orange glow of the torches passed on. The young women breathed a soft sigh of relief.</p><p>She needed to get out of the city, tonight. She had known that she needed to leave for weeks, but this was not at all according to plan. Running out of her home in the middle of the night was not something she had ever considered doing -- without attendants, guards, or even a guide -- and being hunted like a chased rabbit. All she could hope was that she was fast enough. The route out of the city was somewhat complex, but with any luck it would keep her out of the way of those trying to harm her. Once she was out of the city of Trist, she would make a break for the woods of Durmathine, staying hidden until she reached the border of Decorus. From there she would continue on to the city of Aureus Terra.</p><p>Thoughts of what had happened that night threatened to surface, but she thrust them down. The memories were too fresh and painful, and her mission was too important. She kept walking. Images flashed through her mind. The only home she had ever known, gone. She steeled her nerves. Not now. This was not the time to break down. There would be time for that later. Now she needed to focus on surviving.</p><p>After pausing a moment to look around, the young woman used a stack of crates against a wall to hop onto a low roof. From there she vaulted lightly onto another higher roof, pausing for a few seconds to ensure that she had not disturbed anyone inside. She stepped softly as she walked. She could see almost the whole city of Trist, the land where she was born and raised. From her height she could also see that the light of the torches was now far off in the distance. The way ahead was still dark and silent.</p><p>As she stood on the roof she noticed how many stars there were tonight. She considered them, staring down at her. Part of her wished she could be up there, too, far away from the certain death behind her and the unknown dangers of the forest ahead of her.</p><p>Suddenly her ears pricked. She could faintly hear voices. Straining her eyes in the darkness, she saw the dim glow of torches. There was another group that had just sprung up, most likely the local garrison. They were closer than she had thought. She mentally scolded herself for not keeping up her guard.</p><p>Normally she would have thought that the local soldiers could be trusted, but after what had happened tonight, she was not willing to trust anyone. She needed to hurry if she wanted to beat them to the forest. She focused her attention in the other direction. She had to find the courier's road, a special street that would take her straight to the city wall. Finally, she spotted it, off in the gloom. Fortunately for her, it was not very far. With one backwards glance at the torches, she climbed down off of the building and back into the darkness of the streets.</p><p>She dropped down off the roof into a secluded alley way. She started walking down the narrow street when something grabbed her from behind, crushing her backwards and nearly choking her. Her scream was muffled by a large hand, and she kicked backwards at her attacker. There was a satisfying grunt from the man as her foot connected. She tried to lurch forward, but her arms were locked behind her back by a crushing force. She struggled, but with no success. She tried kicking backwards again, but her attacker seemed to anticipate it and threw his knee into her back. She gave a pained cry as the air whoosed out of her lungs. Her head throbbed with the blood pulsing through it. She could hardly see through the thick darkness.</p><p>Several more men appeared out of the dark shadows of cracks and corners, like rats crawling out of their holes. One of the men lit a torch, and by its light, the young woman saw the black insignia of pirates. She felt a surge of panic, then anger.</p><p>"Release me immediately! I am a free citizen of Decorus, I have papers! You have no right!" she hollered. She struggled against the arms of the man holding her, but they might as well have been made of iron.</p><p>Someone chuckled in front of her. "We don't care about yer papers."</p><p>The speaker stepped forward out of the darkness. He was a large man with a barrel chest, and he had an intricate tattoo covering the left side of his bald head. His arms were folded across his chest, and he cocked his head as he studied her.</p><p>"Truth be told, I didn't expect a princess to put up such a fight," the pirate said.</p><p>The princess of Decorus froze, then narrowed her eyes at him. She recognized him, though the memory was an old one. He was captain of a ring of thieves and smugglers, infamous for raiding small portside towns then burying their loot on forgotten islands. "Captain Broag," she said coldly.</p><p>The tattooed pirate captain nodded. "Princess Kamryn."</p><p>Kamryn looked around at the dozen or so men surrounding her. They were all large, leering, and armed with swords. Fighting her way out was not going to be an option. She lifted her chin, trying to appear as regal as she could while having her arms pinned behind her.</p><p>"I was under the impression that you and your crew were in the smuggling business. I did not realize you had stooped to kidnapping royalty," she said.</p><p>Captain Broag shrugged. "True, this ain't our usual. But ye'd be surprised what pirates wouldn't do for a bit o' gold."</p><p>"If you hope to ransom me, you have quite a surprise coming."</p><p>"Ransom you?" Captain Broag laughed. "Do ya take me fer a fool, Your Highness? You know just as well as I that Decorus isn't in any position to pay a coin. The Emperor promised a hefty sum to the lucky dogs that captured the royal family of Decorus. Couldn't let our precious princess just slip away, now could we?"</p><p>He ran a thumb under Kamryn's chin and she shook him off. "You are traitors and dogs," Kamryn spat.</p><p>On the outside, Kamryn was furious. But on the inside, she was terrified. The fact that they were working for the Empire was bad news. Decorus was the last free kingdom, everything else had fallen to the Empire. When the attack on the royal family had come in the middle of the night, she knew she had to flee. As the only heir to the throne, she could not afford to be captured by the Empire if something happened to her parents.</p><p>The Emperor was widely known for his ruthlessness and powerlust. If she were captured by the Empire, she would most likely face a painful, public death -- if not a lifetime as a prisoner and puppet-slave. Worst of all though, her people would suffer. She had seen life outside of Decorus; the people lived without freedom or choices. They were like cattle, living day to day with their eyes on the ground. And if anyone stepped out of line, they were publicly executed or shunned.</p><p>"How could you do this?" Kamryn seethed, "You used to be citizens of Decorus. How could you be helping the Empire?"</p><p>"I suppose you could say that the Emperor has very deep pockets," the pirate captain replied with a grin.</p><p>"You would sell your own countrymen for gold!? Do you know what life is like under the Empire? If I am captured, Decorus will fall. My people -- your people, will be no better than slaves!"</p><p>Captain Broag seemed greatly unimpressed. Kamryn switched tactics.</p><p>"If Decorus falls, you will suffer as well. The Emperor is merciless towards criminals, despite whatever pretty promises he may have made to you. If he is given full control of Decorus, you and your crew would likely not survive the year. Even if you do survive, the people will have nothing of value for you to steal."</p><p>Captain Broag stared thoughtfully at the ground, and for a brief moment, Kamryn had hope that he might actually consider her words. Then he broke out in great belly laughs.</p><p>"I'm touched -- truly, princess -- by your concern for me and me crew. But out of all the necks here, the one I'd be most worried about is yours," he said.</p><p>Kamryn opened her mouth in protest, but he held up a hand to cut her off. "I'm sure ye have plenty more pretty reasons why we should let you go, but frankly I don't care."</p><p>Captain Broag beckoned with his hand and another pirate scurried forward to hand him a length of rope and a dirty rag. He stepped forward and grabbed her face with one hand, forcing her mouth open, then stuffed the dirty rag in and tied it as a gag. Kamryn bit back a noise of pain. The pirate captain handed the rope to the man behind her and he released her from the crushing bear hug in order to tie her arms behind her back.</p><p>Kamryn's mind raced madly, but she could come up with no solutions. Bound and gagged, she was practically helpless. Her best bet was to try and slowly distance herself from the group, then run for it. Her legs were free, but with her arms tied behind her, her odds of outpacing the pirates weren't very good.</p><p>The man behind her shoved her roughly as Captain Broag started giving orders to the rest of the men. She glared over her shoulder at him, and he snarled. "Get a move on," he muttered. He had a distinctly rat-like face and disheveled whiskers sprouting from his chin. His hot stale breath hit her in the face, and she faced forward again.</p><p>The pirates started heading towards the front of the alley, moving at a quick jog. She was jostled awkwardly as she tried to keep up. Yeah, there was no way she could outrun them.</p><p>Suddenly there was a high pitched whistle and an odd thunk sound from behind her. She hardly had time to wonder what it was before there was another whistle and one of the men in front of her tumbled and fell. The crew stumbled to a halt, and Kamryn got a glimpse of a feathered quarrel protruding from the fallen man before everything erupted into chaos.</p><p>"We're under attack!" Captain Broag bellowed, "Archers! On the roof! Get 'em, boys! Kill the vermin!"</p><p>Men started shouting, and several began to swarm up the side of the building where the quarrels were coming from. The torchlight swam and flickered, throwing the alleyway into leaping and plunging shadows. Kamryn could hardly see. There were flailing limbs and flying quarrels everywhere. An elbow slammed into her gut, and she was shoved to the ground.</p><p>"Stay there," the rat-faced pirate snarled down at her, before drawing his sword and scurrying out of view.</p><p>It soon became clear that that was not an option though. She rolled quickly to the side to avoid being trampled. All she could see was large feet and flashing swords. One pirate stumbled backwards and stepped on her leg, causing her to cry out in pain. The sound was lost in the gag and the noise of the fight.</p><p>Suddenly she was hauled roughly back to her feet. "You!" Captain Broag snarled. "Come with me."</p><p>He dragged her away from the fight, and the light of the torches and the sound of fighting fading behind them. She glared at the pirate captain, doing the best she could to show her disdain for the type of man that would leave his men behind in the middle of a fight. As they rounded a corner, Kamryn struggled again to break free.</p><p>"No more funny business," Captain Broag growled.</p><p>She felt the cold metal of a knife blade against her back. The pirate led her through a maze of alleys and side streets. The scent of the ocean drew closer. She figured they must be headed for the docks, where Broag's ship was likely moored. She tried not to panic as they headed south and west, steadily moving away from the northern gate and the forest of Durmathine.</p><p>Broag turned another corner, dragging her along roughly. Kamryn stumbled on a cobblestone and felt the knife dig into her flesh. She hissed in pain, but resisted the urge to take a swing at the pirate. That would only lead to more pain. She needed to save her strength to escape. Darkness surrounded them on either side as they hurried through the narrow streets.</p><p>Suddenly Kamryn became aware of the sound of footsteps on the street ahead of them. Captain Broag yanked her to a stop.</p><p>"Don't come any closer!" the pirate captain shouted. Kamryn looked up. In the middle of the road in front of them stood a man. His face was hidden in the shadow of his deep hood, and a long cloak concealed most of his body. In his hand he held a sword.</p><p>"I mean it!" Captain Broag snarled, "Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of. This is the business of the Empire!" Kamryn felt Broag move the knife move from her back to her neck, where it pressed threateningly against her throat. She could feel the blood pulsing where the blade pressed. It was hard to tell if the gesture was more a warning to her or the strange man, but either way, Kamryn stayed frozen on the spot.</p><p>For several long seconds, no one moved, then the hooded man slowly put his sword back in its sheath. "Sorry to disturb you, I just heard a commotion," he said. Kamryn's heart dropped as she realized that her last hope of rescue was not going to do anything.</p><p>She felt Captain Broag give a satisfied nod. He moved forward again, walking slowly and rotating so that Kamryn stayed between him and the hooded man. Once they came to the narrowest part of the alley, Kamryn and the hooded man locked eyes.</p><p>Even in the dark, she could see that his eyes were bright blue and filled with an unsettling intensity. He gave her a small, almost imperceptible nod. Kamryn realized what was about to happen a second before it did.</p><p>The man's sword was out of its sheath and arching through the air with impossible speed. Kamryn threw herself to the ground as Broag jumped backwards and drew his own weapon. The act seemed to have saved his life as the man's sword sliced the air where the pirate had been standing only a moment before.</p><p>The two men began to circle, sizing each other up. The hooded man feigned a thrust to the left, but the pirate captain did not fall for it. They continued pacing, both staring intently into the other's eyes. Kamryn sat in breathless anticipation. Simultaneously, they leapt forward and their swords clashed in the middle, ringing in a deadly melody. Both swords darted and slashed, almost like a choreographed dance. Broag was much bigger, and almost bear-like in his strength and movement, while the other man was leaner and quicker. Each played to his own strengths. Both men were obviously masters, experienced in combat and swordplay.</p><p>Kamryn realized that this was her chance to get away. She shifted slightly and got in a better position to make a break for it. Captain Broag seemed to realize this as well, and his eyes flicked to her.</p><p>The hooded man noticed the pirate's lapse of attention and attacked, but Broag managed to block the blow. They started to fight again, exchanging blows and attacks with blinding speed. Neither one seemed to be able to gain the upper hand.</p><p>With a growl, Captain Broag suddenly lunged forward, bearing down with his sword in a massive display of strength that could have broken bones or blades. The hooded man, however, twirled aside at the last second, letting the pirate captain's blade spark against the cobbled road.</p><p>Suddenly there was a slithering, scraping sound of steel on steel, and the pirate's sword flew into the air. The hooded man stabbed his sword into the large pirate, and he crumpled to the ground.</p><p>Captain Broag was dead.</p><p>Slowly, Kamryn rose to her feet, keeping her eyes warily on the stranger. He crouched down and wiped his sword clean on the pirate's shirt, then sheathed it. As he straightened up, he finally looked at Kamryn. With a smooth motion, he drew a small dagger and strode towards her.</p><p>Her eyes widened and she took a step back. Not that it would do much good if he really wanted to kill her.</p><p>"Relax," he said, "I'm just going to cut your bonds."</p><p>Kamryn hesitated, then nodded. The man stepped closer and slid the dagger under the gag, cutting it off. He stepped around her and began working on the rope. When the rope fell, she flexed her hands to return some of the blood flow.</p><p>"Who are you?" Kamryn asked.</p><p>The man turned to look at her. "Gavin, son of Danior. I was sent to help you."</p><p>Kamryn did not move, still staring at him warily. "How do I know that you don't work for the Empire?"</p><p>Gavin stowed his dagger and shrugged. "For one thing, I got rid of those pirate dogs." His gaze suddenly became serious. "Secondly, I work for the rebellion. There are many among us that think that you are the best hope for inspiring people to fight. I can help get you to the rebellion headquarters safely."</p><p>Kamryn considered her options. Out of all of them, following Gavin seemed to be the best one. Making the weeks-long journey through the forest of Durmathine and across the plains without a guide was not something she was looking forward to. She was fairly competent, but she had never had to hunt for food or start a fire before, at least not alone. At the same time, it could still very easily be a trick.</p><p>Gavin seemed to sense this as well. "I was sent by Lord LaBarenne," he said.</p><p>Kamryn's eyes widened slightly at the familiar name. She knew that only a real ally would know that name, or its significance.</p><p>She nodded. "Alright. I believe you."</p><p>Gavin looked Kamryn up and down, frowning as he saw that she was unarmed. “Here, take this,” he said, untying his dagger and sheath from his belt and handing it to her. “In case any more pirates show up.”

Kamryn took it with trepidation. Not only was she unfamiliar with the weapon, but the idea of having to use it, even on a pirate, was not a pleasant one. 

“It’s only a dagger, it won’t bite you,” Gavin said. His hood still kept most of his face hidden in shadow, but by the quirk of his lips, she thought he might have been amused.

“I know,” Kamryn said stiffly, tying the sheathed dagger to her own belt. Her focus was on tying the straps, and so she missed the way his smirk turned into a full blown grin and he shook his head.

</p>
<p>"We should get going," Gavin said. He flipped back his hood, and Kamryn got her first real look at his face. He looked fairly young, yet she guessed that he was older than her by a few years. His hair was a white-blond color and cropped short. His eyes were the same bright blue color that she had seen earlier. Her gaze caught on a faint brown mark just beneath his right ear. It was so small and unobtrusive that it might have been passed off as a birthmark.</p><p>"You're a mage," Kamryn said, a little surprised.</p><p>Gavin's eyebrows shot up. "How'd you figure that out?"</p><p>"You have the mark of a trained magic user," Kamryn said, pointing to the spot on her own neck where his mark was. "There."</p><p>"You have a good eye. Most people aren't observant enough to catch that. Even fewer know what it means," Gavin said.</p><p>Kamryn shrugged. "Magic has always fascinated me. I've made a point to try and learn all I can about it."</p><p>"Wow," Gavin laughed, "I'd heard that the Decorus royal family was tolerant of magic. I thought that was a nice way of saying that you don't burn magic users at the stake, not that you actually take an interest to magic."</p><p>"How magic users are being treated is unfair," Kamryn said, "Magic does not make someone evil; if anything it gives them the ability to put more good in the world. I think a lot of people are scared of magic because they fear what they don't understand. That fear leads to violence and hate, which then creates the monsters that they are so afraid of. In my experience, most real monsters are treated like it long before they actually become one. Whether they have magic or not has nothing to do with it. People are people, and they should be treated as such."</p><p>Gavin stared at her for a moment. "I think I'm starting to see why the Emperor wants you gone so bad."</p><p>Suddenly a shout rang out across the city. It sounded like it was still several streets away, but it was clearly the pirates.</p><p>Gavin grimaced. "I guess they finally figured out that you and their captain are gone. They'll start looking, and they really be after us after they see him," Gavin said, jerking his chin towards the dead pirate captain.</p><p>"Should we meet up with the rest of your group?" Kamryn asked.</p><p>Gavin gave her a funny look. "My group?"</p><p>"The archers," Kamryn said, "The ones on the roof."</p><p>"Oh." Gavin smiled and pulled back his cloak, revealing a small crossbow.</p><p>"That was all you?" Kamryn asked, shocked.</p><p>"Yeah, but we really gotta go," Gavin said, as another shout echoed over the streets, closer this time. "Are you feeling well enough to jog?"</p><p>Kamryn nodded. Gavin led them through many twisting and turning alleyways and streets. They both kept up a steady jog, relying more on speed than stealth. Kamryn stopped when she saw the street ahead of them had collapsed, the cobblestones degenerating into rubble as it sloped down into a dark tunnel.</p><p>"The sewers?" Kamryn asked, not entirely masking her confusion.</p><p>"At this point, it's our safest bet," Gavin said, "It'll be one of the last places the pirates check, and it'll lead us directly to the walls of the city."</p><p>"In that case, sewers sound like a good plan," Kamryn said.</p><p>She took one last look around, then climbed down into the sewer. The smell was terrible, like rotten fish and damp mud. The only light came from whatever moonlight could filter through the drainage grates from the streets above.</p><p>After several minutes of going in one direction, the tunnel branched into three different paths; straight ahead, left, and right. Kamryn made to keep going straight, but Gavin held out an arm to stop her.</p><p>"No, that way's no good. I came in through there, and there are some rather. . . violent residents that I'd rather not deal with again. Besides that, it would put us out on the east side of Decorus. We want to be on the north side."</p><p>Gavin started on the tunnel to the left, and Kamryn followed.</p><p>Several more minutes passed, and the grates stopped, leaving them to continue in darkness without the small patches of moonlight. Gavin instructed Kamryn to hold onto the wall of the tunnel. Kamryn recoiled when her hand first touched the slimy surface of the wall. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and held onto the wall. Walking slowly, she followed blindly with only the wall and the sound of Gavin's footsteps to guide her.</p><p>Eventually Kamryn could see a light ahead of her. It gradually grew brighter until she could see the moon-lit grass and trees outside of the tunnel. Bars blocked off the tunnel, but Kamryn thought they might be wide enough apart to squeeze through.</p><p>Gavin pushed his bag through and shimmied between the bars, then motioned for Kamryn to do likewise. She took off her pack and sword and handed them to Gavin, then she came through the bars as well. She turned and looked around.</p><p>They were in a dry creek bed lined with stones. The outer wall of Decorus was directly behind them, and the forest of Durmathine was about one hundred meters in front of them.</p><p>Kamryn and Gavin crossed the creek bed and stepped into the trees. It was hard to see in the dark, and Kamryn often tripped on tree roots or got caught in a patch of brambles. They had to move slowly and more carefully to pick their way through difficult places.</p><p>"Do you have a particular route in mind?" Gavin asked eventually.</p><p>"I was going to head to Aureus Terra," Kamryn replied. "I don't really have much else of a plan besides that. This was all... unexpected. I was originally supposed to travel to Aureus Terra by a completely different route. We were informed that although the Emperor has control of the city, there are many of the rebellion there that are able to escape his notice. I was told that I should be able to be safely harbored there. I hope that still holds true."</p><p>"I take it that you received Lord LaBarenne's letter?" Gavin said.</p><p>Kamryn nodded. "Not that it will be much good at this point. The attack tonight has made most of the plan obsolete," she said. "But at least I know where to go."</p><p>Lord LaBarenne was a city official in Aureus Terra that was largely leading the rebellion, right under the Emperor's nose. His true allegiance was a meticulously guarded secret, which was why Kamryn knew that Gavin could be trusted. Lord LaBarenne had been in correspondence with her parents for some time, and it was his plan for her to come to Aureus Terra for safety.</p><p>In two weeks, Kamryn was supposed to board a ship and sail around the southern coast of Decorus and up to Aureus Terra, where an attack on the boat would be staged. Some rebels would set fire to the boat, and carry Kamryn and the crew to safety. The captain would be dropped off on shore, claiming to be the only survivor of a pirate attack. However, those plans had been made before the Empire had hired an attack on the royal family and captured her parents.</p><p>"So how do you know how to find me?" Kamryn asked.</p><p>Gavin gave a sigh. "Well, I was traveling through Grumulia when I heard about the bounty for your capture. To put it simply, I made an executive decision to come straight to Decorus instead of reporting to Aureus Terra. Decorus is the last free kingdom. For the entire royal family to be captured in one night would be a major blow."</p><p>Kamryn nodded numbly. "We were expecting a full-on battle. That was what the Emperor was threatening if we didn't surrender. What we didn't expect was an underhanded attack on the royal family in the middle of the night."</p><p>"That's how the Emperor works," Gavin said, "Fairplay and honor are nice until they get in the way."</p><p>Soon the gray clouds lightened as dawn approached. Kamryn was tired, yet thoughts of last night were enough to drive her on. Even so, her feet felt like weights were attached. Her eyelids drooped. Gavin glanced over at her.</p><p>"We've put several miles between us and the main road; we can take a break to sleep. I'll take the first watch."</p><p>She started to object, but he cut in, "You need it."</p><p>Kamryn sighed in defeat. "Thank you," she murmured. She found a nice spot under the wide branches of a towering pine tree and was quickly asleep.</p><p>Suddenly Kamryn was in her family's private seating area inside the castle.</p><p>Her parents sat discussing taxes and tariffs, but she knew what was really on their minds. It was what seemed to be on everyone's mind lately. Two days ago, they had received yet another message from the Emperor, threatening that all of Decorus would suffer if they refused to yield. Her father had publicly stated before the advisory court that Decorus would not bend to the petulant demands of a tyrant. However, Kamryn had noticed the strain that the threat of war was putting on her parents. Her father had dark lines under his eyes, and his hair seemed somehow grayer. Her mother often appeared fatigued, like she had aged several years in a day.</p><p>It had been well past midnight when she had bid her parents goodnight and retired to her bedchamber. Only a few minutes later, there was the sound of a commotion a few floors below. Kamryn's mother, Queen Arlene, threw open the door.</p><p>"Kamryn! Kamryn, get up! There are intruders in the castle." Her mother said. Kamryn rushed over to her. Queen Arlene's face was haggard and worried. She spoke quickly in a low, fervent whisper.</p><p>"Kamryn, you must leave now. There are intruders in the castle, it's not safe here anymore. You need to go to Aureus Terra now—"</p><p>"But I thought the plan was—"</p><p>Kamryn's mother shook her head. "The plan has been changed. Go to Aureus Terra, find Lord LaBarenne. He can house you safely. Work with the rebellion leaders there. Do what you can to make things right."</p><p>There was another crash, closer this time.</p><p>Queen Arlene looked pained. "Your father is trying to hold them off as long as he can. Go now. I love you so much, my daughter." She planted a quick kiss on Kamryn's head.</p><p>The queen then went over to the window, urging her daughter and helping her take down the curtains and tie them together. Once four lengths of curtain were tied, another crash rang out. Queen Arlene wrapped the end of the curtains around the bedpost and threw the other end out the window.</p><p>"Go, go!" She urged.</p><p>Kamryn threw one leg out the window, then realized that her mother was not dressed in traveling clothes. "Aren't you coming with me?"</p><p>The queen gave her daughter a sad smile. "I am not a young woman anymore, Kamryn. I would only slow you down and increase the chances of you getting caught. Besides, the plan was never for me to accompany you to Aureus Terra."</p><p>Suddenly there was banging at the door. Someone was pounding on the wood, trying to get in.</p><p>Kamryn felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. "Good bye, mother."</p><p>Kamryn hurried down the curtain, but the more she descended, the longer the curtains seemed to get. She could hear scuffling up above, and she knew that she had to get off of the curtain before someone saw her. Suddenly Captain Broag's face appeared leering out of the window. He laughed, then used his sword to cut the curtains. Kamryn was falling, falling, falling. . .</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A Force to be Reckoned With</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kamryn woke up to broad daylight. Her heart was still beating fast. She sat up and looked around. </p><p>“Are you hungry?” Gavin asked when he saw that she was awake. He had a block of wood and a whittling knife in his hands. Evidently he had been at it for a while.</p><p>“There are some biscuits in that bag over there. I have some dried meat, too, if you want it.”</p><p>“Thank you,” she replied, suddenly aware of the hollow feeling in her stomach. She stood up and grabbed a crumbly biscuit out of the bag. After taking a few bites of the biscuit, she asked, “What time is it?”</p><p> </p><p>Gavin looked up at the sky. “‘Bout an hour after midday,” he speculated.</p><p> </p><p>Kamryn nodded slowly. Gavin returned to his whittling, shaving off thin curls of woods with every knife stroke. She shifted in the relative silence of the forest.</p><p>“I can take watch for a while, if you want to get some sleep,” Kamryn offered. </p><p>Gavin shook his head. “That’s alright. I’ll sleep tonight. We should use the daylight hours for walking. You should probably eat first though.”</p><p>Kamryn hummed in agreement and continued nibbling on the biscuit. She watched on silently as Gavin worked on the fist-sized piece of wood. The block had ridges and odd slopes, with several protruding points. It seemed to be some sort of animal. After several moments, her curiosity got the best of her.</p><p>“What are you making?” she asked.</p><p>“It’s an elephant,” he said.</p><p>Kamryn gave him a look of confusion. “What is an elephant?”</p><p>Gavin hesitated a moment, then said, “Imagine a very large animal with huge ears and a long nose, like a snake. It also has tusks that stick out from its mouth.”</p><p>Kamryn raised an eyebrow. “I feel like you are making that up.”</p><p>“Not at all!” Gavin chuckled, “They are all over where I grew up. They could grow as big as houses, and they are amazingly intelligent. Some people consider them to be guardians of the forest, because of their size, strength, and wisdom. There is rumor that the King of the Elephants is larger than a castle!”</p><p>“You’re joking!” Kamryn laughed. </p><p>Gavin’s eyes crinkled with humor. “Of course not. I don’t have nearly that good of an imagination to make up such a tale.”</p><p>Kamryn peered at the wooden carving. “It is a sort of odd looking creature, like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”</p><p>“Well, it’s not done yet,” Gavin said, rotating the block in his hands. “I’m still roughing it out, trying to get the general shape before I work out the details. See, this will be the head, and this is the back, and these will be the legs.”</p><p>Kamryn nodded, and Gavin dug a dried meat stick out of his pack and handed it to her. “Here, you’ll need this to keep your energy up. We’re going to be doing a lot of walking in the next several days.”</p><p>Kamryn took it with a word of thanks. As she ate, Gavin returned to his whittling. Thoughts swirled through her head, about this stranger, about last night, about the journey that lay ahead of her. She had not been trained for this. She had been trained for diplomacy and military tactics, etiquette and economics. Not woodcarving or hunting or hiking. And she was certainly not trained for personal combat. </p><p>The memory of the pirate captain’s knife against her throat made her grimace. She had been practically helpless against a man with a weapon. She was so used to having guards with her at all times, that she hadn’t even thought to grab a weapon as she left the castle. If she wanted to survive this, things would have to change.</p><p>Kamryn cleared her throat, trying to appear regal instead of as awkward as she felt. “Would you be willing to teach me how to fight?”</p><p>Gavin looked up with surprised blue eyes. “Why?”</p><p>“This. . .” she said, gesturing vaguely around them, “is all foreign to me. I was not trained for this. I don’t know the first thing about woods or fighting or weapons. I’m practically dead weight if we run into any enemies, or even wild animals. I don’t want to wait for others to take care of me.”</p><p>“Okay,” Gavin said, setting his whittling knife and carving aside. “What do you want to know?”</p><p>“Since you were kind enough to let me borrow your dagger, could you show me how to use that?”</p><p>“Sure,” Gavin said, “And you can keep it. Especially since you are willing to learn how to use it.”</p><p>He indicated for them to stand up. “The first thing to remember about a dagger is that it is a useful tool, but it should generally be used as a last defense if you are fighting another person. Close fighting is messy, and the best strategy is to win quickly. In a prolonged fight, you have a very good chance of getting seriously injured, even if you win. You need to strike hard and strike fast. And you have to be prepared for what stabbing someone actually means.” Gavin stared into her eyes, driving the point home.</p><p>“I understand,” Kamryn said. Her voice was firm, but her tongue felt like cotton. Could she really kill someone? In a fight, would she be able to take someone’s life? She had a feeling that if it came down to her life or theirs, she would.</p><p>“Alright,” Gavin said, “There are two ways to hold the dagger: forward grip and reverse grip. Forward grip means holding the dagger the same way you would hold a sword. It gives you more control of the blade and you can reach farther.” He demonstrated the grip with his whittling knife. “Reverse grip is when the blade is pointing down, and it gives you more power, but at the cost of reach and finesse.”</p><p>Kamryn unsheathed the dagger from her belt and copied the grips he demonstrated. </p><p>“A lot of people think that stabbing is the most effective method,” Gavin explained, “but I’ve seen men take 20 to 30 stab wounds and still keep going for several minutes before passing out from blood loss. By that time you could already be dead. Your best bet is to slash a main artery.”</p><p>Gavin pointed to spots on his own body. “Mostly you’ll want to aim for here, here, here, or here,” he said, making imaginary slashes across the side of his throat, above his armpit, across his upper arm, and across his inner elbow joint. “Any of those will disable an attacker in seconds if you cut deep enough.”</p><p>Kamryn nodded.</p><p>“Honestly, though,” Gavin said, putting his whittling knife down and shrugging, “You’re fighting to get away. Use the dagger if you have to, but you can still be plenty dangerous with just your body. Using your elbows, kicking, and even punching can all be very effective if you know what you’re doing. It’s not as lethal, but it will buy you time to run.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Kamryn said, “For teaching me.”</p><p>Gavin grinned. “My pleasure. After all, who wouldn’t want a chance to teach a princess how to kick butt?”</p><p>Kamryn reddened slightly at the phrasing, but refocused. “We should get going.”</p><p>“Right you are,” Gavin said, throwing her a wink. He scooped up his pack and slung it across his shoulder.</p><p>Kamryn picked up her pack as well, stifling a groan as she did so. She had only managed to grab a thin bedroll, a single change of clothes, a leather waterskin, and a half dozen apples before she fled the castle last night. But between all the running, climbing, and sleeping on the forest floor, her stiff muscles protested even the light burden.</p><p>As a child, she had often climbed trees, run about with the stablehands, and rode horseback. But years of court life, long meetings, and cushioned chairs had taken their toll.</p><p>“If I ever get back to civilization, I’m never going to let myself get this soft again,” she grumbled under her breath.</p><p>She looked around, trying to gauge the direction by the sun.</p><p>“This way,” Gavin offered mildly. </p><p>Kamryn followed him into the forest, taking one last glance back at the little clearing they had stayed the morning in. The sun was now high in the sky, streaming through the treetops. There was nothing left to suggest that they had ever been there. </p><p>Although she had only stayed there for a few hours, she had an odd reluctance to leave. It had offered a haven of sorts, if only for a short time. The way ahead was unknown and potentially full of dangers. Every step took her farther away from her home and everything she had ever known. </p><p>She faced forward again, raising her chin and pushing her shoulders back. Nothing was left for her here. The Emperor had seen to that. She would make it through this forest, and she would join with the rebellion. Decorus was her land, the home of her people, her birthright. He had taken everything from her, and she was going to take it back. </p><p>The Emperor had no idea what was coming for him.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. You Belong to Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Megan awoke groggily the next morning. Someone was talking nearby. She opened her eyes. Several dirty children were gathered around her tent, talking excitedly.</p><p>“Do you think they’re real?”</p><p>“What does it matter to you? They’re mine, I found ‘em!”</p><p>“Yeah right you did! I found them!”</p><p>Megan realized with a horrible flash of realization that they were talking about her silver<br/>coins. She sprang to her feet yelling.</p><p>The children stared at her for a moment in terror, then scattered like cockroaches. One<br/>of them still had the bag of coins clutched in his grubby little hand.</p><p>“Get back here, you rascals!” Megan screamed as she chased after them. “That’s mine!<br/>Give it back!”</p><p>She sprinted down the tunnel, hurtling after the young thieves. She was closing in on the<br/>one holding the money bag. He glanced back at her, gave a rather high pitched squeal, and then put on a burst of speed. Megan lunged to grab him, but her foot caught on a cobblestone. She lost her balance and went sprawling to the ground.</p><p>Her hands, elbows, and heart all ached as she heard the little boy’s laughter fade away down the tunnel.</p><p>Memories from last night resurfaced abruptly. She had lost the fight against the strange man, and she had now lost the bag of coins. Her dreams of a new life had vanished like smoke. </p><p>Numbly, she stood up and walked towards the streets. She tucked her rusty make-shift sword into her belt, more out of habit than any conscious thought. Loneliness seemed to open up like a great hole inside of her. This was worse than losing Ratiki, worse than running away from Aunt Irma. Worse than losing Tray, the only person that had seen her as a friend, not just someone to be pitied. </p><p>What was the point anymore? All she did, every day, was beg for scraps to survive -- and it would never get any better! Anytime things started to look up, anytime she had something that made her happy, anytime she found something worth living for, it was snatched away. </p><p>“Hey, you!” A voice shouted, calling Megan out of her thoughts, “Vagrant! Where do you think you’re going?”</p><p>Megan ignored them and kept walking. She didn’t want to talk to anyone right now. She wanted to be alone. She was alone. All alone . . .</p><p>A rough hand seized Megan’s shoulder. She turned and saw a large man behind her, dressed in full guardsman armor. Three more men stood behind him. With a start, she saw the imperial insignia shining brightly on his chest. This man worked for the Empire.</p><p>Panic clawed its way up out of her chest. She jumped and spun with a shriek, ripping away from the soldier’s grip. Without thinking, she picked a direction and ran, pumping her skinny legs as fast as they would go. She sprinted several streets away before her brain finally caught up. </p><p>She needed answers. She had to figure out what was going on. Decorus was the last free kingdom, and Trist was its capital city. This should be the last place that the Emperor’s soldiers should be. </p><p>Megan leaned her head back against the wall of the narrow alley she stood in. Her breathing came in heavy gasps. She had to think.</p><p>Yoli. Yoli would know what was happening.</p><p>Carefully peeking out of the alleyway, Megan made sure there were no soldiers around before reorienting herself and heading towards Yoli’s shop. She took off at a light jog, her heart still hammering in her throat.</p><p>As she got closer to the marketplace, she saw more and more soldiers. They stood at street corners like sentinels. Aside from the unsettling foreign presence of the soldiers, almost no one was out of the streets. Everyone was hiding from what was sure to be a terrible storm.</p><p>Megan snuck around to the back of Yoli’s shop, travelling by the dirtiest and narrowest backstreets to avoid being seen. When she got there, she rapped softly on the wooden door. There was a pause, then some shuffling from behind the door. The sliding peephole opened just a crack, then slammed shut.</p><p>“It’s just the lil’ errand girl,” a voice said behind the door.</p><p>“Let her in.” Another voice. She was pretty sure it was Yoli’s.</p><p>The door opened and a bald man poked his head out, looking both ways down the alley. “Come on, girl. We don’t got all day,” he said gruffly.</p><p>Megan hurried inside and the bald man closed the door behind her, bolting it shut. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim back room. </p><p>Aside from herself and the bald man, there were five other people in the tiny room. She recognized Yoli, his bright red hair disheveled, and a young man named Tue that occasionally helped work the counter. There were also two women and a little boy, who looked about three years old. The toddler sat on the younger woman’s lap, sucking his thumb and peering about with bleary eyes.</p><p>“What are you doing here, girl?” Yoli asked, not unkindly.</p><p>Megan took a shuddering breath. “The soldiers. The Empire. They - they’re . . .”</p><p>Yoli nodded sadly. “They arrived sometime in the wee hours of the morning. Woke up and about had a heart attack. They posted notices on all the doors; The royal family is dead. Decorus is under the dominion of the Empire now.”</p><p>Megan’s knees almost gave out. Dead? How could the entire royal family be dead?</p><p>Yoli kept talking. “The letter said that we shouldn’t resist or be violent like. They said it would be a peaceful transition if we cooperate -- what a load ‘a dung. All that means is they’re going to execute any poor soul that don’t agree with them.”</p><p>The younger woman started to cry softly, and the bald man went over and crouched beside her. He rubbed her hand soothingly and whispered to her in a low voice.</p><p>“Ah, forgive my manners,” Yoli said, “This is my wife Aileen; my son, Knox; my daughter-in-law, Isla; and their little tyke, Brak.” He gestured to the two women and the bald man, who now held the toddler. “And of course you know Tue.”</p><p>Megan smiled wanly. Even as Yoli made the introductions, she could tell how stressed he was. His wild red hair was even more untamed than usual, and dark bags hung under his eyes. </p><p>“What are we going to do, Yoli?” the older woman -- Yoli had identified her as his wife Aileen -- asked.</p><p>Yoli sighed deeply and ran a hand across his face. “For now we stay here. Stay hidden. We run if we can, but I don’t rightly know where we’d even go. There are too many documents, too many files that tie me to this place. They’d find us for certain. If you would go without me. . .”</p><p>Aileen shook her head. “I already told you, we are not leaving you behind.”</p><p>“What are our odds if we stay?” Knox, the bald man, asked.</p><p>Yoli shrugged. “If this is anything like the invasion at Trenley, they’ll likely try to round up and execute all the magic users first. There’s bound to be several of them here in the city. The last thing the Empire wants on their hands in a magical uprising. They’ll sniff ‘em out and kill ‘em as fast as they’re able, but that’ll still likely take a few days. Then they’ll start coming after us little folks. Honestly, the odds aren’t good. We’ll be lucky if they don’t burn this place to the ground.”</p><p>“They won’t,” Aileen said with steely eyes. “Even soldiers need to eat.”</p><p>During the exchange, Megan shrunk into herself. Yoli’s words rang in her ears. They’ll likely execute all the magic users first. The soldiers would have no reason to suspect her, Megan argued with herself. No one knows. I haven’t used even a drop of my magic in four years. They’ll sniff ‘em out and kill ‘em. What if that didn’t matter? What if they had other ways of knowing about her magic? </p><p>I’m going to die. I’m going to die. I’m going to die. . .</p><p>“Oi, girl,” Yoli said, “What will you do?” </p><p>Megan’s pulse thundered in her ears, and it took a second for her to process the words.</p><p>“I-I’m not sure, sir,” Megan said lamely.</p><p>For a moment, Yoli stared at her with something she thought might have been pity. Before she could even blink, the expression was gone, and he wore his usual business face. “You could probably slip out the gates,” he said, “You’re small, and you don’t have any papers that mark you as a resident of Trist. No one would come looking for you. You could probably make it.”</p><p>Megan nodded. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Once again she was being discarded and tossed aside. She tried to tell herself that she had to leave anyway. She had come here for information, and she had it. </p><p>It was a cheap comfort.</p><p>“It will likely be easiest to get to the northern gate from here,” Yoli said, “From there follow the road through the forest of Durmathine out to the countryside. Find some small town or village, if you can, and live out your days there.”</p><p>He grimaced. “I would wish you well, but I don’t think any of us will live very long now that the Emperor has won his game. If you want my advice, keep yer head down. That might just save it.”</p><p>Megan finally managed to swallow. “Thank you, master Yoli,” she whispered.</p><p>Yoli nodded and showed her to the door. The sunlight seemed garishly bright after the darkness of the back store room. Megan stepped out into the alley.</p><p>“Take all the luck you can; you’ll need it.” Yoli said. With that, he shut the door behind her.</p><p>Megan blinked owlishly in the light. Her heart squeezed painfully, but she pushed the feeling away mercilessly.</p><p>She jogged down the backstreets, taking a circuitously long route to avoid the bigger roads. Whenever she saw an imperial soldier, she darted away and hid. Before long, she had reached the northern gate of the city. </p><p>Getting through the gate would obviously be the hardest part. Five guards stood stationed in front of the large wooden door, which was closed and barred. They stood sharply at attention, their swords drawn and ready. There would be no sneaking past them.</p><p>Crouching behind a barrel, Megan thought furiously. How could she get past the guards? Could she cause a distraction? Maybe, but probably not something distracting enough that it would cause all five of them to abandon their posts. And besides, the beam that barred the gate shut looked too heavy for her to lift on her own. She looked around the alley, hoping to find something that would help her. </p><p>Her eyes caught on a pile of ashes and rotting fruit, and she smiled. That just might work.</p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>“Open the gate! Open the gate!” Megan rasped. She staggered towards the guards, one hand wrapped around her stomach. The guard closest to her saw her first and his eyes bulged.</p><p>Inwardly, Megan smirked. The guards reaction was exactly what she was going for. The effect of the ashes rubbed over her face and arms was awesomely gruesome. She had also rubbed some charcoal stubs under her eyes, making her face look even more hollow and sickly.</p><p>The attention of all five guards was now on her. “Move along, girl,” one of the guards said, “No one goes in or out.”</p><p>“But I’ve got the plague. The soldier back at the marketplace told me to. . .to le-leave,” Megan said. She let her voice devolve into hacking coughs.</p><p>The guard that had spoken -- Megan was starting to suspect he was the leader -- wrinkled his nose in disgust. “No one leaves. That’s the order,” he said.</p><p>Megan, still coughing, nodded. She needed to convince them. And fast. Raising her hand up to her mouth like she was covering her cough, she slipped a half rotted cherry into her mouth and bit down. The juice flooded her mouth and she nearly gagged on the sour taste. </p><p>She doubled over in another coughing fit, this time only half pretended. The cherry juice spewed from her mouth and spattered on the front guard’s shiny silver breastplate. The other guards eyes went wide as they saw the flecks of dark red juice.</p><p>Dramatically, Megan threw herself to the ground and kept coughing and retching.</p><p>“Captain, I think we should let her out,” one of the guards said, his voice quaking, “If she’s contagious. . .”</p><p>Please, Megan prayed. Please let this work.</p><p>“Fine,” the captain said, “Open the gate. She won’t live much longer anyway.”</p><p>Two of the guards sprang into action to open the gate. The others prodded her forward with their swords. She weakly staggered to her feet; she was no longer coughing, but she still rasped and moaned.</p><p>She kept her eyes down as the gate opened. Freedom yawned out in front of her. Only a few hundred meters ahead, the road curved into the forest and out of sight. She only had to make it that far.</p><p>One of the guards smacked her with the flat of his sword, and she ground her teeth to keep from snarling at him. She wanted to leave just as much as they wanted her gone! But if she moved too fast, she would blow her cover.</p><p>Once she had passed through the gates, the guards stopped and she went on alone. She didn’t dare look back, and she didn’t dare speed up. The slow hobble she walked at was agonizing. She had no way of knowing what the guards behind her were doing. Crossing the short distance felt like it took an eternity. She was so close! Fifty meters. . . twenty five meters. . . ten meters. . . five meters. . .</p><p>Even after she passed into the trees, Megan kept up her sickly, shuffling walk for several minutes. Only once she was completely certain that she was in the clear did she turn around and look. The gate was completely hidden from view by the trees. </p><p>She was free.</p><p>Megan let her face split into a huge grin. Turning, she continued deeper into the forest at a brisk walk.</p><p>The sounds of the city faded and gave way to the forest she had entered. It really was a beautiful day. The golden sun streamed through the leaves, causing them to turn a bright green like the first buds of spring. Songs of birds echoed through the forest. Everything seemed peaceful.</p><p>Megan paused where a small stream of water ran across the road. The water had made the road muddy and wagons had created ruts through the soft area. She crouched by the little stream and washed the ash off her face and arms.</p><p>Finally feeling more like a human than a goblin, she continued down the road. As she walked she let her thoughts wander. Losing the bag of silver was still a sore spot, but it was a small thing in comparison to the fall of Decorus. It did give her an opportunity, though. She might be able to find work at a farm or some small town. Hopefully something that didn’t require a lot of heavy lifting. Or reading.</p><p>A sharp pain stung the side of her face, jerking her from her contemplations. </p><p>“Ow!” she yelped.</p><p>Her hand impulsively went to the injured area. What had done that? Her senses were suddenly on high alert. She scanned the forest around her. All she could see were trees and bushes. The wind blew gently through the leaves, causing them to rustle faintly. Birds still chirped unseen in the treetops. Everything appeared normal. </p><p>Megan started walking, a little quicker now, suspiciously glancing at the trees.</p><p>Another small object flew at her face. This time she managed to catch it, scrutinizing the object as she held it between her thumb and index finger. It was an acorn. A completely, perfectly ordinary acorn. But it had flown at her face! She glanced around again, then walked a few more paces down the trail. </p><p>Someone had thrown those nuts. Taking one more look for more airborne acorns, she snuck into the trees.</p><p>As quietly as possible, she walked through the trees towards the place the acorns had come from. She froze. Someone, a man, was crouching in front of a group of thick branches beside the trail. A sling in his hand confirmed her suspicions. Megan realized that from his position, he could not be seen from the road. That was why she had not seen him. She gritted her teeth. Her hand gravitated to the make-shift leather wrapped hilt of her sword. Silently, she crept up behind him. She drew her rusty short sword and pointed it at his back.</p><p> “Turn around, slowly,” she ordered.</p><p>His whole body stiffened. He obeyed. With wide eyes he stood and turned to face her. She was expecting a full grown man, but to be perfectly honest he didn’t look a day above fifteen. His wide, frightened eyes were centered on a boyish face, framed by messy brown hair.</p><p>“Please don’t hurt me,” he said, “I don’t have any money.”</p><p>Megan rolled her eyes. “I’m not trying rob you, dummy. I’m trying to figure out why the heck you’re shooting acorns at me!”</p><p>He paled, then his cheeks flushed. “This is going to sound crazy,” he said.</p><p>“Try me.”</p><p>“I was hunting squirells.”</p><p>Megan snorted. “Well, in that case; either you’re short a few screws, or you’re as blind as badger.”</p><p>“Told you it was going to sound crazy,” he muttered.</p><p>Megan composed herself and drew her shoulders back. “Then why did you shoot me? I’m not a squirell.”</p><p>“Coulda fooled me,” the boy said. He moved to lean against a tree. Obviously the fear of her sword was losing out to the fact that she only a kid a little older than him.</p><p>Megan flushed, and she felt her anger rising. Ratiki had always called her a “short fuse”.</p><p>“You pompous little brat!” Megan shouted, waving her sword beneath his nose. “You can’t just shoot acorns at people just for the fun of it!”</p><p>She crouched and scooped up a handful of acorns from the ground and began flinging them at him. “How do you like it, huh?”</p><p>The boy flinched and covered his face with his arms. “Geez, you crazy hag! Knock it off!”</p><p>“Not until you apoligize!”</p><p>The boy crouched and grabbed a handful of acorns of his own. He started flinging them back at her. “Never!” he shouted.</p><p>“Conceited imp!”</p><p>“Nutty harpy!”</p><p>“Uncultured troll!”</p><p>Suddenly Megan noticed pink smoke rising from the ground. Within seconds it completely enveloped her. She couldn’t see anything.</p><p>“What’s going on?” the boy cried, but she barely heard him. He sounded like he was<br/>miles away.</p><p>“I don’t know!” Megan shouted back, though her own voice sounded watered down and<br/>far away. Her anger was abandoned as quickly as it had come.</p><p>Inside her head she heard a high-pitched screeching. She collapsed to the<br/>ground, clutching her temples.</p><p>The smoke floated lazily down to the forest floor and seemed to absorb in to it, disappearing like it had never been there. Left standing in front of them was a woman, wearing all black clothing that looked like a riding outfit. She wore a short cape that fluttered in the wind behind her. Her hair was a silky silver color and cut short, swept over to one side. She had an exotic type of beauty, accented skillfully with dark makeup which contrasted her fair skin. There was no denying that she was strikingly gorgeous, but there was something. . . off about her. Her face was just slightly too narrow, her limbs too long. </p><p>Yet the most striking thing about her was her eyes. The irises gleamed an unnaturally bright pink, and they glittered like a gemstone that had been cut and polished.</p><p>“Greetings,” she said, “Megan, Aidan,” She nodded to each of them in turn. She had a strange silky accent that Megan couldn’t place. </p><p>“What do you want? And how do you know our names?” Aidan demanded.</p><p>“Oh, feisty, aren’t we?” the woman tsked, “But you must want answers, yes? Very well. I am Vidium, a fae of the Realm of Caliginoso. My people are gifted with magic beyond what your feeble minds can even begin to comprehend. I have reached inside your minds to gain what I wish to know.” The fae’s eyes glittered dangerously.</p><p>Megan had heard of such creatures. Several magical beings could read minds, perform spells, and work powerful magic. She had heard of those creatures mostly from fables and stories. She had never encountered one before. She was told the Emperor had driven them all to extinction or over the sea, long before she was even born.</p><p>“What do you want from us?” Megan asked, repeating Aidan’s question. The woman, Vidium, she had called herself, turned to face her. Megan wanted to run, but an invisible force seemed to hold her feet in place. Vidium looked her over shrewdly, as if looking inside her rather than out.</p><p>“What do I want?” she purred to herself, “I want total domination; I want no more pests, an easy life of power at my fingertips. That is what we all want, deep down.”</p><p>Aidan interrupted her. “What do you want with us? Why are you here?”</p><p>She whirled to face him. “Yes, and you will understand soon enough, but for now-” She lunged out and grabbed his hand at the wrist. With her other hand she pulled out a hidden dagger and sliced his palm. Before he could cry out, she had taken a locket from around her neck and let the blood drip onto its surface. The locket, though made of metal, absorbed the blood like a sponge. Aidan froze, eyes glued to the locket.</p><p>Megan bit back a scream. “What did you do to him?” she accused. The fae wiped the dagger blade clean.</p><p>“Nothing too bad, but I can’t have you running away all the time. You will be coming with me. My magic, although it is infinitely stronger than anything you could ever imagine, is not fail-safe. The magic of the locket is simply my insurance.” She looked up, her pink eyes gleaming, “It will bind you to me, and the only way to be free is if I release you. And I won't, not until we get where we are going."</p><p>Megan was too afraid for the moment to ask where that was. Most likely not a sunny paradise.</p><p>The fae made a gesture expressing that she was to give her hand to her. Megan shook her head and put her hand behind her back. Vidium’s pink, cold eyes hardened.</p><p>“I would not cause trouble if I were you,” she warned, “I can be quite...unpleasant.”</p><p>Megan’s hand suddenly seemed to have a mind of its own. It began to move over to the outstretched hand of the fae. She tried resisting, but whatever spell the fae used was too strong.</p><p>Finally, Vidium grasped her wrist. Megan cringed at the sting of the blade as it sliced her skin. The blood dripped unto the locket.</p><p>Vidium closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, like one who breathes a breath of fresh air. </p><p>“Now you belong to me.”</p>
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